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About this quote

What does it mean?
People who avoid everything with a shady reputation pay a high price for health, yet gain little; it's like buying a dry cow with all your money.
In plain terms
Avoiding all questionable items costs a lot for little health gain.
What can you take from it?
Extreme avoidance may be inefficient and costly.

Where it applies

  • diet regimes
  • lifestyle choices
  • wellness trends

Putting it to work

  • balance risk and benefit
  • evaluate health claims
  • avoid over‑restriction

Questions to consider

  • When does caution become counterproductive?
  • How can you find a balanced approach to health?

Another view

The analogy oversimplifies complex health decisions and may dismiss legitimate caution.

More from Samuel Langhorne Clemens

  1. Be careful about reading health books. You may die of a misprint.

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  2. The past does not repeat itself, but it rhymes.

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  3. When the doctrine of allegiance to party can utterly up-end a man's moral constitution and make a temporary fool of him besides, what excuse are you going to o…

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